Carriage-support for automatic strapping machine



March 1964 s. B. BROUSE ETAL CARRIAGE-SUPPORT FOR AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1.3, 1962 N VE/V TORS. SHIRLEY B. BROUSE and JACK J. DAL TON (I'll Attorney March 17, 1964 S. B. BROUSE ETAL CARRIAGE-SUPPORT FOR AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1962 TE 1E2- 2 4 I 26 |H l 28 Y 46 l l l I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl G3- INVENTORS.

SHIRLEY a. mouse and max .1. DALTON Attorney United States Patent O 3,125,018 CARRIAGE-SUPPORT FOR AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Shirley B. Brouse, Oak Lawn, and Jack J. Dalton, Olympia Fields, Ill., assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 216,665 4 Claims. (Cl. 10026) The present invention relates generally to automatic machines for applying a strap to a bundle or package, tightening it therearound and securing overlapped ends of the strap to form a tie or joint. Automatic strapping machines of this type are known generally and include a guide track, strap-feed and tensioning means, and a joining mechanism. One example of such machines is shown in Brouse et al. Patent No. 2,912,099.

In the operation of this type of machine the bundle or package to be tied is positioned in the guide track immediately adjacent the knotter mechanism. The tie wire is fed through the twister pinion of the knotter, around the guide track, and then into the knotter again overlapping, in the twister pinion, the portion of wire originally fed into the knotter. To effect the tie, the tie wire is stripped from the guide track and retracted to pull it taut around the bundle. While the tie wire is held in tension around the package, the twister pinion in the knotter mechanism is actuated to twist the overlapped portions of the wire together to form the knot. The completed knot is then cut from the supply end of the tie wire and ejected from the twister pinion. After ejection the completed knot lies closely adjacent the bundle due to the tension in the tie.

For effective operation, the bundle around which a tie is to be applied must be positioned in the guide track immediately adjacent the knotter or other joining mechanism. This requirement presents no difliculties when the bundle or package is of a size and weight that can be easily adjusted into proper position in the guide track against the knotter mechanism by a simple conveyor or by hand. However, when the package to be secured is of such a size Weight that it is not easily portable or adjustable, positioning it in proper position against the knotter mechanism is diflicult and time consuming.

In particular, the present invention concerns a carriagesupport for mounting the feed-and-tension means and joining mechanism of an automatic strapping machine for movement to and from a package to be tied and the claims herein relate to such an improvement.

Other parts of the machine, such as the means for feeding the strap around the track and subsequently pulling it therefrom to draw it taut around the package, the joining mechanism, and the guide track may be of any suitable construction. These elements are not claimed herein and are shown diagrammatically or in detail only to an extent necessary for a clear understanding of the present invention.

The present invention, accordingly, has as its primary object the provision of a roller-mounted carriage-support for supporting the feed-tension and joining mechanisms of an automatic strapping machine whereby the joining mechanism can be moved to and away from an article around which a strap is to be applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rollermounted carriage-support for an automatic strapping machine for carrying the feed-tension and joining mechanisms of the machine to and from a package to be tied whereby the package can be tied from any angle.

These and other objects Will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view, with portions 3,125,018 Patented Mar. 17., 1964 ice removed, of a wire-tying machine having the carriage-support of the invention incorporated therein;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view looking at the left side of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view taken along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the principal working parts of the machine there shown are mounted on a carriage 2 constructed in accordance with the invention. The carriage 2 is mounted for linear movement in a horizontal plane on a vertically disposed support plate 4 which is secured to a supporting frame 6 of structural members at one side thereof. These working parts include a wire-feed-tension mechanism 8 (more fully described and claimed in copending application Serial No. 215,058, filed August 6, 1962) for feeding tie wire W into the machine from an external supply coil (not shown) and retracting the tie wire to draw it taut around a package, and a knotter mechanism or head 12. Other workin g parts of the machine include an upright substantially an nular guide track 14 and a conveyor 16 both mounted on the supporting frame 6. The conveyor 16 functions to carry a package P, to which a wire tie is to be applied, into the guide track and also serves as a support platform for the package While the tie is being applied. A plate 18 having an arcuate groove 20 therein covered by a cover plate 22 is connected at one end with the upper portion of the carriage 2 adjacent one end of the feed-tension mechanism 8 and at its lower end to the knotter head 12. The groove 20 in plate 18 serves to guide the wire W between the feed-tension unit 8 and the knotter head 12. Rollers 24 are provided in the groove 20 to facilitate movement of the wire therealong.

A bracket 26 is attached to one edge of the support plate 4 and supports a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 28 having a piston rod 30 projecting therefrom. The projecting end of the piston rod 30 is attached to a rib 32 of the carriage 2 by means of a shoulder screw 33. The hydraulic cylinder 28 and piston rod 30 serve to move the carriage toward and away from the package P.

Supporting frame 6 has a bed portion 34 which supports the guide track 14 and conveyor 16. Support plate 4 is secured to two upright members 36 of the frame 6 by means of screws 38. Support plate 4 is of channel section formed with a web 40, a lower flange 42 and an upper flange 44.

The carriage 2 is mounted on the plate 4 by means of a pair of spaced rollers 46, rotatably mounted on the lower flange 42 one adjacent each end thereof. Another pair of spaced rollers 48 rotatably mounted on the upper flange 44 of plate 4 one adjacent each end thereof supports the upper portion of carriage 2. A third pair of spaced rollers 50 rotatably mounted on the web 40 one at each end of the web below the upper flange 44 also supports the carriage 2. As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the axes of rollers 46 and 48 are normal to the plane of flanges 42 and 44 while the axes of rollers 50 are normal to the plane of the web 40. The carriage 2 is provided with Ways 52, 54 and $6 for receiving the pairs of carriage-support rollers 46, 48 and 50, respectively. Thus, the rollers 46, 48 and 50 support the carriage 2 vertically and horizont-ally. This arrangement makes it possible for the carriage 2 and the elements carried thereby to be positioned vertically, as shown, or horizontally, or angularly, as desired, so as to be suitable for a wide range of package-tying operations. The carriage-support arrangement of the invention permits the carriage to be installed in a strapping machine at any angle to the guide track so that a package can be tied from any angle. For example, if it is desired to apply a tie around a package in a horizontal plane, the plate 4, carriage 2 and the elements carried thereby, and the guide track would be disposed in a horia zontal plane. The rollers 45, 48 and 50 would fully support the carriage 2 in this position. If it was desired to form the wire-tie knot on the top or bottom of the package, theplate 4 and carriage 2, with thefeed-tension and knotter mechanisms carried thereon, could be mounted on the upper or lower portion of the track for vertical movement toward and away from the package. The rollers 46, 48 and 50 would fully support the carriage 2 in these positions also. The rollers would effectively support the carriage in any poistion to suit any angle from which a package must be tied.

The feed-tension unit 8 of the machine is operatively mounted in the upper portion of the carriage 2. The knotter mechanism or head 12 is secured to an upstanding flange or rib 58 on the carriage 2 by means of screws 60.

Before the start of an operating cycle to apply a tie around package P which has been moved into position within the track 14, wire W has been fed into the machine; driven through the knotter head and around the track with the leading end portion thereof overlapping in the knotter head, a portion of the initially fed wire; and the leading end of the wire is positioned in a gripper (not shown) of the knotter head. During the tying cycle the following sequence of operations takes place in rapid succession:

(1) The gripper of the knotter is closed to grasp the leading end of the wire W.

(2) Hydraulic cylinder 28 is actuated to project piston rod 30 and move carriage 2 on the rollers 46, 48 and 50 against the package P, as shown by broken lines in FIG- URE 1.

(3) The feed-tension unit 8 is operated by a motor to strip the wire out of the track and draw it taut around the package P to a predetermined tension.

(4) The knotter mechanism is actuated to knot the overlapped portions of the wire, cut the completed knot from the supply end of the wire W, and eject the knot from the knotter head.

(5) Cylinder 28 is energized to retract the piston rod 30 and move the carriage 2 back to its home position, as shown by solid lines in FIGURE 1.

When the carriage 2 is in home position, as shown by solid lines in FIGURE 1, a portion of plate 18 having a vertical wire-accommodating groove 62 therein, and the knotter 12 are in vertical alignment with upper and lower vertical sections of the guide track 14.

When the carriage 2 reaches home position, feed-tension unit 8 is again operated to feed wire into the knotter mechanism and around the track in preparation for the next tying operation.

While one embodiment of our invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a strapping machine including a package-supporting platform, a guide-track substantially surrounding said platform, means for feeding strap to and retracting strap from said guide-track, and a joining mechanism, the combination therewith of a supporting plate of channel section, including a web and flanges, mounted adjacent said track with its web parallel to the plane of the track, a first pair of spaced rollers journaled in one of the flanges of said supporting plate on the side thereof toward the other flange, one adjacent each end of said plate, a second pair of spaced rollers journaled in said other flange of said supporting plate on the side thereof toward said one of the flanges, one adjacent each end of said plate, the axes of rotation of said rollers being normal to said flanges, a third pair of spaced rollers journaled in the web of said supporting plate between said flanges, one adjacent each end of said plate, the axes of rotation of the rollers of said third pair of rollers being normal to said web, a carriage mounted on said rollers for reciprocal movement on said supporting plate between and parallel with said flanges toward and from said platform, said carriage having ways extending therealong cooperatively engaging said pairs of rollers, and means for reciprocating said carriage toward and from said platform, said strap feed ing and retracting means and said joining mechanism being mounted on said carriage.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1- including strap-guide means on said carriage for conducting strap from said strap wire-feeding and retracting means to said joining mechanism.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 including strapguidemeans on said carriage adapted to form a section of said track when said carriage is positioned away from said platform.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said reciprocating means includes a motor mounted on said support plate and connected with said carriage for moving the latter toward and away from said platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 780,331 Fletcher Jan. 17, 1905 1,805,791 Treat May 19, 1931 2,707,429 Leslie et al. May 3, 1955 2,831,422 Black et a1. Apr. 22, 1958 2,912,099 Brouse et al. Nov. 10, 1959 

1. IN A STRAPPING MACHINE INCLUDING A PACKAGE-SUPPORTING PLATFORM, A GUIDE-TRACK SUBSTANTIALLY SURROUNDING SAID PLATFORM, MEANS FOR FEEDING STRAP TO AND RETRACTING STRAP FROM SAID GUIDE-TRACK, AND A JOINING MECHANISM, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF A SUPPORTING PLATE OF CHANNEL SECTION, INCLUDING A WEB AND FLANGES, MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID TRACK WITH ITS WEB PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE TRACK, A FIRST PAIR OF SPACED ROLLERS JOURNALED IN ONE OF THE FLANGES OF SAID SUPPORTING PLATE ON THE SIDE THEREOF TOWARD THE OTHER FLANGE, ONE ADJACENT EACH END OF SAID PLATE, A SECOND PAIR OF SPACED ROLLERS JOURNALED IN SAID OTHER FLANGE OF SAID SUPPORTING PLATE ON THE SIDE THEREOF TOWARD SAID ONE OF THE FLANGES, ONE ADJACENT EACH END OF SAID PLATE, THE AXES OF ROTATION OF SAID ROLLERS BEING NORMAL TO SAID FLANGES, A THIRD PAIR OF SPACED ROLLERS JOURNALED IN THE WEB OF SAID SUPPORTING PLATE BETWEEN SAID FLANGES, ONE ADJACENT EACH END OF SAID PLATE, THE AXES OF ROTATION OF THE ROLLERS OF SAID THIRD PAIR OF ROLLERS BEING NORMAL TO SAID WEB, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID ROLLERS FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT ON SAID SUPPORTING PLATE BETWEEN AND PARALLEL WITH SAID FLANGES TOWARD AND FROM SAID PLATFORM, SAID CARRIAGE HAVING WAYS EXTENDING THEREALONG COOPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID PAIRS OF ROLLERS, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID CARRIAGE TOWARD AND FROM SAID PLATFORM, SAID STRAP FEEDING AND RETRACTING MEANS AND SAID JOINING MECHANISM BEING MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE. 